Kankantrie- of kapokbomen 1900 - 1910

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, “Kankantrie- of kapokbomen,” by C. Kersten & Co., circa 1900-1910, presents these imposing kapok trees in a realistic, almost documentary style. I'm struck by the sheer scale of these trees and the solitary figure at the base, emphasizing their monumental size. What can you tell me about this piece, especially regarding its creation and the materials used? Curator: This photograph, as a gelatin-silver print, signifies a particular stage in photographic technology and its wider cultural deployment. The choice of this medium, gelatin silver, became incredibly standardized. Kersten & Co., likely a commercial enterprise in Paramaribo, was interested in distributing these images, potentially for consumption by tourists or as documents for commercial interests tied to the trees themselves – perhaps related to kapok harvesting. Consider the social context: early 20th-century Suriname, with its colonial economy and its reliance on natural resources. This isn't simply a "landscape," but a product deeply intertwined with economic exploitation and colonial power structures. Editor: So, it’s not just about the trees, but what the trees represented in that economy? Curator: Precisely. And how the means of representing them – through a relatively inexpensive, reproducible medium – allowed for their commodification and circulation. This photograph's value, I would argue, lies not solely in its aesthetic qualities, but in its function as a material object embedded in a network of colonial trade and visual representation. How do you see the photographer’s choices reflected here? Editor: I hadn’t considered the commercial angle so explicitly, but now it's obvious. I'll definitely look at photographs differently from now on, understanding how they reflect the economics of their time. Curator: Thinking about materiality opens new doors, doesn't it? I will think differently about photography now too!